Artificial Intelligence, Love, and Everything In Between
by justwankey
Summary: Santana thinks claimed love between a robot and a human is rather disturbing. But when pushed to it, she figures there's no harm in experimenting. It turns out the only robot she can afford is a slightly defective Dani. But Santana finds that it's okay, because she finds herself a defective human. And in the end, they find each other anything but.
1. Chapter 1

**Here is another weird story! I don't think I'll ever have the motivation to do a 'normal' one.**

**Again, very inspired by another author's called "Absolute Chanyeol."**

**Before you read this, this is an angst story and my goal was to rip people's hearts out. So I apologize in advanced if I succeed. This is only probably going to be a 3 or 4 shot, also, and I plan to upload them all in the same week!**

**I probably won't edit though so I also apologize for the mistakes. Point them out to me and I'll fix them though.**

**Other than that, please enjoy.**

**Kat. xx**

* * *

Santana strolled down the streets of New York, one hand in her black coat pocket and the other swaying by her side. It was a bit chillier than usual so while she was waiting for an "It's Okay to Walk" man appear on the pole across the street, she took a moment to dig her hand out and push them together and bring them up to her face to blow whatever form of heat she could get on them.

While doing so, she observed a short, gel-haired man pulling off his mustard colored coat to give to another man, who was only slightly taller than him, who had been rubbing his arms for warmth. The taller man turned in surprise at the shorter gentleman's action as he felt the weight of the coat on his shoulders and gave him an adoring look and a genuine smile.

This also caused Santana to smile, until she saw the shorter one's lips curl up and lean forward to kiss his apparent boyfriend. This smile gave everything away. All of their smiles gave it away. They all had the same one. And they were all perfect and lacked a single flaw.

That's how they were made after all.

Santana didn't realize how deep into her thoughts she was when the crowd behind her, also waiting to cross the street, began shoving past her and into the crowded sidewalk across from them.

She cursed under her breath as she picked up her pace and began going with the flow once again.

"Hey." Rachel greets the other brunette as she walks into their office.

"Hey, Rachel. How are things this morning with the uh.. oh! Miller company?" Santana remembers as she puts her bag down beside her desk and takes a seat.

"Well, he rescheduled to Thursday instead of Tuesday. He said he's expecting leave on a business trip this afternoon but he should be back by Thursday morning. Oh! And speaking of this afternoooon," Rachel drags out as she puts the notepad she had down on Santana's desk and plops down on one of the chairs in front of Santana's desk with a wide smile and battering eyes.

Santana reads over the notes, and then peers up to see if Rachel still has on her million dollar, dazzling smiling and waits for Rachel to continue.

"And speaking of this afternoon..?" Santana asks, eyes still slits.

Rachel finally brakes away from her smile and shrugs while looking down at the floor innocently, "Well, I was going to go to lunch today and I was wondering…"

Santana's eyes widened at the realization of what Rachel was implying to invite her to. "Oh, no no no no no." She replies immediately, making sure to harshly shove the last 'no' out of her mouth. "There is no way in hell I am going to go to lunch with you and your little robot girlfriend again. Rachel, you know how I feel about those things." Santana shifts in her seat uncomfortably as she brings her hand to her mouse and starts looking up stuff on her computer. "They're just.. they're creepy as hell. And can she even eat?"

Rachel stands up and stares down at Santana until dark brown eyes meet each other, "Well," she huffs, "I guess now you'll never know."

Santana gawks at her assistant's sassy tone and points to her computer as she calls out, "You know, I'm sure they have some sort of article on Google I can read rather than sit through lunch with one just to find a simple answer!"

After Rachel didn't turn around, she sighs back into her seat. She was right; she could read an article and get the simple answer. And although she thought the idea was, in the most simplest of sense, sick, she couldn't help but let the curiosity and fascination overwhelm her.

"I can't believe I let you basically manipulate me into doing this." Santana muttered as she put a forkful of salad into her mouth.

"You're aware I have the hearing of a canine, only better, right?" Quinn asks, her back straight and arms in her lap as she sat only a few inches away from Rachel.

"You're aware I don't give a rat's ass, right?"

"Santana!" Rachel snaps.

"No, no, it's quite alright, Rachel." Quinn replies, and smiles at the shorter girl with those perfectly straight teeth and hazel eyes.

There were times Santana would get jealous at how good looking other people's 'significant others' were. Until she remembered they were fake. Fake and perfect. It made Santana upset. Upset and sad. When did the World suddenly become so lonely that everyone had to go out and buy themselves a genetically and modified perfect substitute form of a human?

Rachel smiles back and continues smiling until Quinn looks away, then she throws Santana a scowling look.

"What? It's only a machine, it can't actually get it's feelings hurt at a little comment." Santana replies, sipping a glass of water.

"That's not the point." Rachel replied, running a hand over Quinn's arm which was now in her lap.

"Then what is the point, Berry?" Santana sat back into her seat.

"The point, Santana, is that aren't you the one always saying you shouldn't judge someone or something unless you've been through it or done it yourself?"

"Rachel, this is literally a robot. A robot you have as a girlfriend. It can't love, Rachel, it's not real!" Santana raises her voice and draws a bit of attention from the other people in the restaurant. Some of which were giving her ugly looks as they sat across from lover robots of their own. Santana takes note of this as well, but decides to continue, "Can it, Can it write a novel that makes a person's heart sulk or explode with love? Can it create a symphony or, or, or"

"Can you." Quinn interrupts, more of a statement than a question.

And with that, Santana stays quiet about the topic the rest of lunch, which was now awkward and only filled with small talk.

Towards the end though, when Santana stands to leave and bids both Rachel and Quinn their goodbyes, Rachel reaches out and grabs the other brunette's wrist.

"I just don't want you to be lonely anymore, San."

Santana feels a large lump in her throat form at the comment. But she only nods and shakes the hand on her wrist off as she turns on her heels and heads for the door.

Santana made an effort for the topic to not cross her mind. And she actually managed to keep it from her thoughts the rest of the day. That is until later that night that when she was laying in bed and she opened her laptop and the all famous company 'Cyberbots' page was already opened up in her Safari.

"Rachel." The brunette grumbles.

She moves the mouse so it hovers over the 'x' on the top right corner of the page. She's about to click it, but her eyes decide to scan over the different models they have on the front page.

She tries to stray away from the "100% sexual guarantee!" ones as she reads over the descriptions for each one.

There's a tall Asian boy with jet black hair and tannish skin. It reads that he's "Smart, Athletic, a Great Dancer, Asian," she decides to move on and lands on another one. This one is also a boy and he's more bulky. He reads "Tall and Strong, Athletic-"

Santana groans at the general descriptions and decides she should probably look at the Girls section since she is into girls. She's not going to get one,obviously, but it wouldn't hurt to look, right?

The first girl that comes up is a tall blonde with bright blue eyes. She's cute, Santana thinks immediately. Until she looks at the price: $1,050. Ouch. How the hell did Rachel manage to afford one with the same job as Santana?

Santana clicks the 'next' button and this one's an average sized, light brunette with green-blue eyes. She's also pretty, but something about her doesn't catch Santana's attention.

She clicks next again and realizes that that whole 'third time's a charm' saying might be true.

It's a short blue haired girl with an awfully wide smile and dark brown eyes. Santana doesn't even need to read the description to know this is the one she wants. She finds herself smiling at the screen even, and that's when she comes to her senses.

She realizes what she just had a desire for and shuts the laptop close. She puts it down on her bed side table, turns the lamp off, and shoves herself into the covers to be devoured by sleep and forget her almost foolish decisions.

Santana awakes to her phone's vibration under her pillow. Her eyes blinking slowly at first, then faster to help her wake up. She reaches a hand under the pillow and pulls it out. Before she could hit 'Answer,' her notification window pops up: 4 missed calls, Anne.

Why would her sister be calling her this late? She pulls up Anne's contact and clicks the small phone icon.

Seconds later, another voice comes on the line, "Santana?"

"Anne, what's going on?"

"Mom had a heart attack, I need you here now. Can you come?"

Before Santana even answered, she shoved the sheets off her body, went into her bathroom to grab a ponytail, put the first pair of sneakers she saw on, and was in her car on the way to the hospital.

"Anne?" Santana said, as she entered the room her mother had been assigned.

Her sister turned around with a concerned face and engulfed her in a hug. "Mom's doing okay now, but the Dr. said she needs to be careful."

Santana's mother stirred in her bed as she heard her oldest daughter's voice raise. "Anne, keep quiet, I'm trying to rest."

Santana pulled away from her sister and moved to her mother's side and laced their fingers together.

"Ah, mija." her mother breathed out.

"Hi, mom." Santana smiled gratefully. Then her frustration settled in, "What did me and Anne tell you about being careful, mami?"

"Mhm." Anne added at the end of the hospital bed.

"I already told you, I was being careful! It was only a little heart attack."

"Mami-"

"There is no such thing as a little heart attack! This is only going to get worse, you know that, right?"

"Anne." Santana snapped.

Her mother looked down at their intertwined hands and ran her thumb over Santana's hand.

Anne sighed and ran her hands through her hair. "I'm.. I'm gonna go get a drink. Do you guys want anything?"

Both Santana and Maribel, her mother, shook their heads. Anne sighed again, and then left.

Santana continued watching her mother's hand as the time went on.

"So, have you found a girl yet?"

Santana's head snapped up, "You seriously just got admitted into the hospital and you want to talk about me having a girl?"

The sentence was suppose to come out as a 'wake up call,' but it only erupted laughter from her mother. Which of course, erupted laughter from her.

When their laughter became giggles, and their giggles became small smiles, Maribel tried again, in a more serious manner.

"You know, I really would like to see you happy with someone."

Santana cleared her throat, "I know, mami."

"Maybe.. before I pass?" Maribel tried to get some laughs again to fill in the awkward space.

But it didn't help.

Santana only replied "I know, mami."

"Hey, you okay?" Rachel asked, stepping into their office and putting the coffee she got Santana on her desk.

Santana lifted her head up from the desk and smiled at the drink. In fact, she smiled, grabbed it, drunk it all in one sip, and threw the paper cup in the trash can.

"Rough night..?" Rachel tried again, sitting down in one of the client chairs.

"No. Yes. Kind of? No, yes."

Rachel raised an eyebrow, then offered the rest of her coffee to Santana. Santana accepted.

"It's my mom."

Rachel made a soft 'oh' and nodded as her confusion left.

"Yeah. She had a heart attack."

Rachel's eyes widened.

"Oh, no! She's okay now, it's just.. I know she might not be here much longer. And…"

Rachel waited about thirty seconds, then she spoke up, "And..?"

Santana fumbled with the paper on her coffee cup. She bit her lip, and then put the cup down.

"And she had one request."

"And what request might that have been?" Rachel asked carefully.

Santana sighed, and then gave her a knowing smile.

Later that night, she lay again in her bed with her laptop on her lap.

She opened up to Cybots' website and went to the girl section again. She came across the blonde and brunette girls she'd seen yesterday, but couldn't find the blue haired one. She searched through the results again, then manually through the 'next' and 'previous' buttons.

She spent about thirty minutes, until she finally threw her hands up in the air and groaned. She looked at the screen again and found something. Not the girl, but a number.

She picked up her phone from the bedside table and punched the number in. A male voice came on and told her to wait just a moment.

"Hello, this is Cyberbots cooperation, how may I help you?"

"Oh, um, hello. I was on your website yesterday and I found a girl I liked-um, well not liked, but wanted? No, not wanted, but one I was interested in.. Um."

"Alrighty, ma'am, can you describe the girl to me?"

"S-Sure, she had blue hair and, and a really big smile and"

"I got her, ma'am."

"You did?"

"Yes."

"Okay."

"Ah, I see. We pulled her off the website because people were having erm, difficulties."

"Oh? What kind of difficulties?"

"Um, just small ones.. which did cause her price to go down significantly!"

Santana squinted her eyes, "How significantly?"

"She is now $750."

Santana chewed on her lip. That was about $300 dollars less than the other ones.. besides, she wasn't going to keep it, was she? Who cared if it was a little broken. This was just so people would stop bugging her.

"Ma'am?"

"Oh, yes?"

"If you'd like, I can put that order in for you now?"

Santana sucked in a breath air, and then sighed, "Why not?"

When she saw the box that afternoon on her doorstep on her way home, her face was blushing as she picked up the little ribbon attached that said "Congratulations On Your New Girlfriend!"

She opened her door and pushed the heavy box inside, then quickly shut it closed.

She threw her bag on her couch and just stared at the box. She figured she could cut it open, so she went into the kitchen and dug into one of her drawers for a knife. And then she heard it open and a few foam pieces fall to the ground. She put the knife out in front of her stomach and slowly walked to the living room.

There, completely naked, was the blue haired girl stretching her arms and rubbing her eyes.

"Holy shit." Santana muttered.

The blue haired girl heard her and turned to face her.

Santana waved slowly and put the knife down on the counter. Then walked closer to the robot.

"Are you.."

"I'm Dani." The robot smiled.

"W-What? You have a name..?" Santana asked, head cocked to the side.

"Doesn't everyone? Don't you?" Dani continued smiling, then cocked her head to the side like Santana.

"Yes, but I'm.."

"You're what?"

The nudity was causing a stir in a low part of Santana and quite frankly, causing her an uncomfortable feeling.

"I'm clothed."

Santana walked into her room, grabbed pajama pants and a ragged shirt. Then opened her top drawer and pulled out a pair of -new- underwear. Then dug for a bra that would hopefully fit.. Dani.

She came back into the living room and Dani was out of the box and punning her hand over a picture frame.

"Er, Dani?"

The shorter girl turned around and Santana's eyes instantly went to the girl's completely shaved.. robot vagina.

And not to help, Dani walked up to Santana and looked at the clothes. Then the little light bulb in her head lit and she laughed, "Oh! Right, you guys like to wear clothes even though we all basically have the same structure and shouldn't be ashamed of it."

"Um, yeah." Santana shoved the clothes into the other girl's hands.

Dani walked to the couch that had Santana's bag, put the clothes down down, then picked up the shirt to throw over her head.

"Oh, n-no, the bra goes on first.." Santana muttered.

"Do humans always watch others get dressed?" Dani asked.

"What? No, no, I just.. I'm making sure you're doing it right.." Santana flushed. "I think.. I'll be in my room."

Dani shrugged, then took her shirt off and picked up the bra to put on. But by then, Santana was in her room and sitting on her bed wondering what the hell she had done.

A minute later, Dani walked in, fully clothed. "Is this where I sleep?"

"Hm?" Santana looked up, "Oh, no.. This is where I sleep."

"Don't I sleep where you sleep?" Dani cocked her head to the side again.

"I, um.. Do you even sleep?"

"No.. But I can lay very still and not make a peep." Dani smiled.

"Okay, yeah." Santana said, standing up and walking to the door. "Do that. On the couch."

"What's your name?"

The question caught Santana off guard. Actually, all of her questions caught Santana off guard. Quinn was never this chatty or questioning... Now she was figuring out why Dani's price had been so low.

"It's Santana."

"Santana?"

"Yes." Santana breathed out. Although she'd never say it out loud, she liked the way her name rolled off the other girl's tongue. "Now, come on, I'll get you a blanket."

"Okay."

Dani followed Santana out of the room and waited for the brunette to come back with said-cover.

When Santana arrived, she laid Dani down and draped the cover over her. She thought the girl looked uncomfortable without a pillow, so she went back into her room and grabbed one for her. She told Dani to pick her head up and put the pillow under, then lightly pushed her head back down. But even after her head looked 'comfortable,' her hand was still on Dani. Dani turned to her and stared into her. Santana wasn't looking back though. Her hand was now tracing over all of Dani's features. She'd seen other robots, but never got close enough to observe them.

Everything about Dani was flawless. Her flawless skin, her nose, her lips. Oh boy, her lips.. which were now come towards her.

Santana pushed back and landed on her ass. "What are you_ doing_?!"

"I'm sorry." Dani sat up and offered Santana a hand. Santana swat it away and pushed herself up. "I'm not really your girlfriend, am I, Santana?"

"What would make you think you are?" the girl snapped.

"Because.. that's what I'm here for. That's what I was made for.. Right?"

Santana looked at the robot, her face obviously puzzled.

"Y-Yes." Santana answered, "That is what you're for. It's just.. It's just me, honestly. I've never really um, I guess, liked your kind? I don't know." Santana sat down on the couch, "It's just weird. You're so.." Santana looked at all the girl's features again and bit her lip, "You're so perfect."

Dani watched those curious brown eyes. "Was I not suppose to kiss you then? I mean, would you like me not to kiss you?"

Santana drew her attention back to the conversation. "Um, no. No kisses for now, okay?"

"Kissing for later then?"

"Well-"

"Girlfriend stuff for later? Or maybe-"

"Dani."

"Yes?"

"Please go to sleep."

"Okay."

Santana stood, picked up her bag, and let Dani stretch her legs on the couch.

"Santana?"

"Yes, Dani?"

"You could sleep here with me, if you wanted to."

"I know, Dani."

"Okay."

"Goodnight, Dani."

"Goodnight."

When Santana woke up, she brushed her teeth and then made her way to the kitchen, which she had to pass through the living room for.

She peeped her head out of her door and saw blue hair peeping out from the cover. The view made Santana smile. She walked to the kitchen and poured some water into her coffee pot. Then tried to dig in the kitchen for something to eat. After finding nothing, she turned around and found Dani instead. Which made her hit her head on the kitchen door.

"Shit."

"Sorry again." Dani blushed. Wait, was it blushing? She was a robot, she wasn't suppose to blush.

"That's, That's okay. Have you been up this whole time?"

"Yes. Would you like me to make you breakfast?"

"Can you cook?" Santana asked, hand moving to the back of her head to rub it.

"I can learn." Dani took note of the signs of a human 'going through pain' and grabbed the thin towel that was hanging, then softly pushed Santana to the side to get ice from the freezer. She grabbed the ice and put it in the towel, then handed the towel to an awed Santana.

"Did they teach you that?" Santana asked, taking the towel.

"They?"

"Your erm, creators?"

"Oh. Yes. We all have to learn it. If our human were to get hurt and die, they would have to destroy us and use our remaining pieces as spares for other hurt robots."

"That sounds.. gruesome."

"Gruesome - 'causing repulsion or horror; grisly.' according to the Google dictionary."

"Oh?"

"Breakfast?" Dani went back to.

"Um, I actually don't have much ingredients. W-We could go out and get some?"

Dani's lips spread across her face to a smile Santana would come to love.

"Toe-May-Doughs." Dani pronounced with the can in her hand.

"Aren't you like, wired to know how to pronounce every word?" Santana asked, still slowly walking with the cart.

Dani put the can back and caught up to Santana. "Yes, but it's still fun saying all of them."

"Fun?" Santana laughed, grabbing a can of tomato sauce and then continuing down the aisle.

"Meat, noodles, tomato sauce, garlic, garlic bread, and wine. Are we having spaghetti for breakfast?"

"Yep."

"I didn't know that was a breakfast food."

"Maybe you shouldn't always be so exact on your facts then." Santana said, putting her items on the counter to be scanned.

When they got to the car, Santana and Dani put the groceries in the back seat. They both walked to the driver's side when they were done though.

"Oh, you could go in the passenger's seat, Dani."

"I know, but can I drive?"

"You can drive?" Santana asked, lifting an eyebrow.

"Yes."

Santana gave Dani a hesitating look.

"Just trust me, okay?"

Santana scoffed, "I don't even trust humans, let alone robots."

"Then maybe this will be your start to trusting people." Dani said, extended out her hand to take the keys.

Santana sighed, but gave the girl the keys anyway, "If I die, you do realize you go back to Cyberbots' to be destroyed, right?"

"Haha, very funny."

Both girls got in the car, and Santana learned right away that everyone who owned a robot should have that robot drive instead of them to avoid accidents. Because if every robot was like Dani, the road would be very, very safe.

"Stop pretending to eat."

"But why?"

"Because it's distracting me from actually eating." Santana replied, taking a sip of the wine.

Dani pouted. "I'm sorry. There's just a lot of things I'd like to eat."

Santana choked on her wine and nearly died. Dani's head shot up and she was at the girl's side in three seconds, patting her back and clearing the tanner girl's throat.

"Better?"

"Yes, thank you. Even though you were the one who caused it.."

"How did I cause it?"

"Well, you.. you said a sexual joke. It was funny." Santana shrugged.

"A sexual joke? Like, about sex? Intercourse? Screwing? Fucking?"

"Did you just say fucking?"

"Yes? Am I not suppose to?"

"No, you can. You totally can! Say it again!" Santana urged.

"No." Dani said plainly.

"What the-why?"

"Because." Dani smirked.

And Santana loved that smirk, so she left it alone.


	2. Chapter 2

**Again, un-betad, so sorry for the mistakes.**

* * *

"Santana?"

"Yes, Dani?" Santana answered, putting the black cardigan on the other girl's shoulders and turning her around to make sure it looked alright.

"This is important, right?"

"Um, yeah, I guess so."

"What if I mess up? What if they don't like me?"

Santana let her hands fall to her side as she sighed. "Well, I thought I wouldn't like you and look where we are now. I mean, you're not really my girlfriend yet anyway, so no worries."

This caused Dani to smile at the taller girl. Well, the first part. The second part kind of made her want to shut down and never wake again.

Santana smiled back, then pulled them towards the door and into the car.

"Okay, deep breaths, stay calm."

"Are you telling me or you?" Dani asked.

"You? Me? Both? Yes, both. Okay, this is her room. Come o-"

"Santana?" Anne said approaching them with a tray of food in her hand.

"Anne, hey." Santana breathed out nervously.

"Hey to you too. And who's this?" Anne asked, cocking an eyebrow to Dani.

"Hi, I'm Dani." the girl gave her a wide and confident smile. And just like Santana, Anne could make out who was real and who wasn't just by taking in their smile. And Santana also knew this.

"Oh my god.."

"Anne, it's really not that big of a deal."

"Santana, you know how mom feels about these things. Gosh, you know how I feel about these things!"

"Well believe it or not, Anne, not everything's about you!" Santana whisper-yelled. "Besides, mom said she wanted me to have a girlfriend, so here we go."

"Did you ever think maybe mom meant a real, breathing, blinking girlfriend?"

"I can blink." Dani jumped into the conversation.

"Oh, can you?" Anne spat back.

"Hey, leave her out of this." Santana defended her.

"Leave her out of this? This is about her!"

Dani should've stayed, Dani probably would've stayed if she hadn't been a defective robot. But she was a defective robot. And she did pass by the two arguing sisters and made her way into Maribel's room and did introduce herself to the woman.

Once Santana saw Dani wasn't in sight and finally realized where she had gone, she ignored her sister and ran into the room.

And if Dani had been any other robot, her mother may have called the nurses and had it destroyed and she would've scowled Santana for ever even thinking about buying it.

But goddammit, Dani wasn't any robot. And she wasn't a defective one either. She was the most flawless robot out of all of them and apparently her mother knew so too. Or maybe her mother was just too weak to realize it. She did look worse.

"Santana." Her mother said, smile on her now frail face, "Why did you not tell me you had a girlfriend?"

"Oh, she's, she's not my girlfriend."

"She's pretty enough to be your girlfriend. She seems smart and polite enough too." her mother smiled adoringly at the robot.

"I know." Santana also smiled at Dani, who was now examining the cars on the road. "I know."

After spending a couple of hours conversing with her mother and watching Anne throw dirty looks to Dani, visiting hours were over and it was time for everyone to leave.

"Goodbye, Ms. Lopez." Dani grabbed the woman's hand and shook it softly. She turned to leave, but Maribel pulled her close and hugged her. The older woman's eyes widen a bit at how soft Dani's 'skin' was. Dani put her hand on the woman's back and rubbed it, like she'd seen on movies. Maribel smiled at the gesture, and so did Santana.

When Dani pulled away, she turned to the bitter sister, "Goodbye, Anne."

"Yeah, see ya." Anne muttered.

"Santana, I'll wait for you in the car." Dani smiled, then exited the room.

"Santana?" Maribel said softly.

"Yes, mami?"

"I'm not stupid, you know. I may be dying and withering, but I am no fool."

Santana's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. "I never said you wer-"

"I know, but just listen."

Santana's mouth shut tight as she nodded. Her mother scooted over to the right side of the bed and patted the empty spot on the left. Santana moved from the wall to the spot and let her hands rest on her lap.

"The Doctor.. He said the cancer is spreading."

Santana's head snapped up, "But.. But what about the chemotherapy? And the, and the"

"Santana, don't cry, mija."

But the tears were already falling from her eyes and slipping off her face onto her folded hands. Her mother leaned forward and took her in her arms.

"Listen, Santana." Maribel said, pulling away. Santana wiped the tears from her face and waited for her mother to continue. "If you fell in love with that robot, you are a fool. But everyone who falls in love is a fool. Falling in love is a form of emotional suicide that's socially acceptable. I know she's a robot, and I don't know what changed in you and made you even want to get one, but if you want this, I support you. I just want you to be happy."

Santana found small laughs coming from her mouth.

"What? What's so funny?" her mother asked, suddenly confused.

"First, she's not really my girlfriend. I told you. I mean, sure that's what she was made for, but she's become more of a sidekick. And second, it's just.. this sounds a lot like the speech you gave me when I came out to you."

The memory replayed in both the girl's heads and Maribel was soon laughing too. And Santana may have kept laughing if the situation was different. If her mother wasn't lying in a hospital bed with cancer spreading throughout her body. If she didn't only have maybe a few months left with her.

Santana found the tears coming back up and she pushed herself into her mother's arms once again.

Dani looked at the clock on her watch: 08:43:27.

Visiting hours had ended 43 minutes and 27, now 28, now 29.. seconds ago.

Should she go check on Santana? It was drizzling now and who knew when the predicted showers were going to come. Dani looked down at the watch again: 08:44:07.

Dani set her arm in her lap and sighed. She was about to open the door when she saw the brunette tapping on the passenger's door. Dani smiled at the sight and unlocked the door.

"Hey, I'm sorry I took forever." Santana said, rubbing her arms.

"You didn't take forever. Juuust," Dani dragged as she looked at her watch, " 44 minutes and 13 seconds."

Santana laughed at the girl's fact and put her seat belt on. Dani grabbed the coat she had brought from the back and offered it to Santana. Santana thought back to the two gentleman she saw before, and she saw how she had changed. Except, she didn't really. At least she didn't think she did. Dani was just an exception because Dani wasn't like the others. For one, she was apparently defective, and two, she was more human than any other robot she'd ever seen.

Dani started the car and backed out of the parking lot and made her way onto the crowded street of New York.

"Can you drive with one hand?" Santana asked, looking out the window.

"Pardon?"

"Can you drive," Santana turned to face the girl, "with only one hand?"

Dani nodded slowly.

Santana extended her hand out from the coat and pulled Dani's right hand off the steering wheel and laced their fingers together. She set the intertwined hands in her lap and looked out the window again. This was when Dani noticed the slight redness and puffy skin around Santana's eyes. Dani had never cried before obviously, but she'd seen humans cry. In movies, in real life a couple times when her and Santana would go out. She'd even read a couple of books on crying and she'd come to the conclusion that you'd probably have to feel awfully sad to want to cry. It was this rainy day that Dani decided she never wanted to see Santana cry again.

The days started to pass very quickly when the two girls were together. Dani became Santana's best friend and Dani knew of nothing else besides the girl.

When Santana was at work, that was the only exception that time didn't move fast enough.

But when she finally came home to that blue haired girl, things were moving fast again.

If they weren't visiting her mother at the hospital, both of the girls made sure Santana was busy or doing something to get the, what Dani likes to call, 'bad stuff' out of her head.

Today, Santana had rented them a horror movie: The Human Centipede.

It was one of Santana's favorites and since Dani had never seen one in her existence, Santana wanted to share this with her.

"That's not very realistic." Dani muttered for the fiftieth time as the credits rolled. At least the movie was over now.

"Well did you like it?"

"I.. I don't know what liking something is. I know the definition, but I don't know how to tell if like something."

Santana looked at the girl and felt her heart drop. Things like this always made Dani sad.

Santana searched for Dani's hand and laced their fingers together, "Here, it's like.. it's like when you get all warm from something."

"Warm?"

"Yeah, warm."

"Do I make you warm?"

Santana laughed, "I don't think you're asking the right question."

"Well alright, do you like me?" Dani asked, straight face and curious eyes looking for clues on the tanner girl's.

Santana shifted on the couch and ran her thumb over the girl's hand. "Of course I like you.." She whispered softly. She felt a familiar lump in her throat forming and pushed it down. She dropped their hands and stood up. "I'm tired." And walked to her and closed the door.

Dani missed the contact she was having with Santana, so she figured she'd have contact with something else. She got up, went to the kitchen, and opened the cabinet with all the canned food and began organizing them in alphabetical order.

Santana laid on the floor of her door, back leaned against it, and tried to get everything out of her head; her mom and Dani mostly.

This wasn't working though, she needed something else.

She looked over at her bed and saw the small iPhone light up. She stood up and went over to it.

Rachel Troll: 5:52 PM.

Marge said they're doing the monthly inspection the office tomorrow so don't come in until about 1:30.

Santana bit her lip, then typed a message out and hit send.

Rachel put the last piece of clothes she'd been folding down and read over the message a couple times to make sure it said what she thought it said.

"Hey, Quinn?"

"Yes, babe?" Quinn looked up from the tv.

"It looks like we're having dinner with Santana and her new robot tonight."

"Wow.. she's really pretty. I would've expected you to choose someone with normal colored hair, but she's still pretty." Rachel smiled as she blew on her soup.

Dani smiled at the comment and it made Santana giggle at how she lit up.

"Why don't you ever light up like that when I saw you're pretty?" SAntana asked, holding a hand up to her heart and pretending to be heart broken.

"Because you only tell me I'm pretty when you want something." Dani replied immediately.

Rachel put down her spoon and covered her mouth to hide her laugh.

Santana scoffed, "No I do not!"

The table was all giggles, except for the blonde sitting beside Rachel. Rachel took note of this when she glanced over and those hazel eyes were just peering at Dani.

Rachel put her hand on the blonde's arm, "You okay, honey?"

Quinn's head turned, "Yes." Then turned back to Dani.

Dani was staring right back, except more innocently and not bitch-like.

"Hey, Berry, how about you tell your blonde to quit giving Dani the stink eye?"

"Oh, so she you refer to her actual name and not just 'robo toy'?" Rachel smirked.

"She's defective." Quinn spoke out loud as she placed her finger on what was off about the other robot.

Rachel looked to Quinn, then at Dani. Dani looked to Santana who was now giving the death glare to Quinn.

"Quinn, that wasn't nice.."

"It's true though." Quinn responded back to her girlfriend.

Santana put her hand on the table and inched nearer to Quinn. "The whole idea of robots is defective, and stupid. Especially ones that are apparently perfect inside and out like you. Dani may be labeled as 'defective,' but she's the most human like one I've ever come across."

"Because she's the only one you're ever given a chance. And she succeeded." Quinn responded.

Rachel shook her head to the blonde.

"What the hell does that mean?"

Rachel licked her lips and cleared her throat, "Santana.. They have one job, and that's to make whoever bought them fall in love with them. Clearly, you're opinion has only shifted because you'r-"

"Shut up." Santana spat before the shorter brunette could finish.

Santana grabbed her purse, put her hand in Dani's, and stood to leave.

"Is what Quinn said true?" Dani asked the next night, while she was watching tv and Santana was finishing up some paperwork on the couch.

"Is what true?" Santana asked, looking up.

"Am I.. defective?" The way Dani spoke the last word with such shame made Santana simmer. Stupid Quinn.

Santana shook her head, "Don't listen to her. I mean, did you see how fast she shut up when Rachel told her to? You wouldn't have shut up if I had told you to, and that's what makes you better, that's what makes you special. That's what makes you, you."

Dani nodded, not looking up from the tv.

"All this robot stuff.. it kind of bothers you, huh?" Santana asked, setting her work on the other side of the couch and giving Dani full attention now.

"I just.." Dani licked her lips and tried to think of the right word. "I want to be good enough. Perfect enough."

"Enough for what?" Santana asked, completely lost now.

Again, Dani had to think about this one. Not for very long though.

"Enough for you."

Santana's eyes widened and here came that lump. Santana shook her head and slid off the edge of the couch and sat down next to Dani to be eye-to-eye with the blue haired girl.

Dani refused to look at her though, so she placed a soft hand on the girl's jaw and pulled her face towards her. Dark brown eyes met each other and Dani fumbled with her fingers. But could robots fumble with their fingers? Could something make them nervous enough, if at all, to make them act these things out?  
Santana had never seen Quinn or any of the other robots for that matter act out actual feelings. But Dani.. Dani did all these things and it made her beyond unique.

And it drove the Latina crazy how often the robot was in her head nowadays.

Suddenly Santana couldn't find the words to speak. All she could find were her hands going to either side of Dani's head and pulling her closer.

"But you said-" Dani whispered.

"I know." Santana interrupted her, then human lips met robot lips that could easily have passed for a human's.

Santana's hand traveled to the back of the other girl's neck and she pulled her in closer.

"Open your mouth." Santana breathed out in between the kisses.

Dani stopped kissing and opened her mouth completely.

"N-no." Santana laughed. Dani sat there in confusion, but Santana was in utter happiness. This was their first kiss and Dani had no idea what to do, and Santana was teaching her. Teaching her how she liked to be kissed and touched. And all of it was pure and blissful. Well, maybe not pure.

"You keep kissing me, but slightly open your mouth."

"Why?" Dani cocked her head to the side.

"So I can put my tongue in." Santana answered simply. Had this been anyone else, she probably would've ended the kiss already. But this was Dani.

"Why?"

"Because it feels nice. Look." Santana pulled the girl in again and let her tongue glide into Dani's mouth before she even gave the other girl a chance to reply.

Her eyes opened wide at how real everything felt. Dani's tongue was soft and her entire mouth felt wet and, in a strange way, soothing.

Santana straightened out her back and kneeled on her knees to get a better angle and dug deeper. Dani caught on and let her tongue brush against the other girl's.

"Wait," Dani pulled away, "Can you breathe?"

"Yes?" Santana answered instantly, then realized she was gasping for air. Dani smirked and Santana laughed as she plopped down on her bum and leaned against the foot of the couch. She leaned over and rested her head on Dani's shoulder.

"Santana?"

"Mhm." Santana hummed.

"Was I.. Was I okay?" Dani asked cautiously, fumbling with her hands again.

Santana watched the fingers busy each other and reached her hand out to land in between Dani's.

Santana giggled softly and Dani felt the vibrations.

"I think.. I think if I could tell whether or not I liked something; I would like kissing." Dani said.

"Who doesn't like kissing?" Santana chuckled.

Dani shrugged, but not too much to where Santana's head would be bothered by it. "I don't know. Maybe I wouldn't like it if it wasn't with you."

Of course, Dani never got to see if she did like kissing someone else besides Santana, because the only person she ever wanted to kiss was Santana.

"Can you smell them?" Santana asked, examining Dani put her nose a few centimeters into the flowers.

Santana thought she'd take Dani out and just walk around the city since Dani had mentioned a few times how she wanted to see the different sights.

She didn't think a tiny flower stand, out of everything in the lively city, would've caught the robot's eye.

"No. But they're really pretty."

Santana smiled affectionately at the girl as she shoved her nose into another arrangement of flowers.

You're really pretty, Santana thought to herself. Santana closed her eyes and shook her head.

Similar thoughts kept flooding her head ever since she had kissed her. But she couldn't help it, Dani was pretty. And a robot. Robot. She was a robot. Of course she was beautiful, she was a robot.

Santana tapped Dani, whose face was now completely out of sight and lost in the flowers, on the shoulder. The shorter girl didn't lean back up though, she just stood still bent over. Santana tapped her again, more forcefully, but nothing. She was completely stiff. The lady at the stand raised an eyebrow as she saw Santana struggling.

"She one of the defective ones?" the flower lady asked.

"Mind your business, old woman." Santana snapped.

Santana put both her hands on Dani's shoulder and pulled her back hard.

Dani collapsed backwards in the girl's arms and Santana tried to put her on the floor gently, but she still fell with a loud thud. People on the street were now staring.

The minute Dani's head fell against Santana's knees and faced up, Santana freaked up.

Black liquid was dripping out of Dani's nose and her eyes were twitching. Santana screamed and people came rushing over, but the only thing the people could do was watch. The people who could afford decent robots never had been in this situation and like Santana had figured out, the minute a robot was found defective, it was taken off the website and out of the stores.

The flower lady rushed to a candy shop that was behind the stand and grabbed a robot who had dreads and green eyes and pulled him outside and through the crowd. Once he saw the black liquid and twitching eyes, he knew exactly what was going on.

He put her head in his hands and felt around for the small switch that would open and an area of wires would be there waiting for his hands. He felt the different textures of each wire and when he found the one he needed, he pulled it out of the small socket it was attached to. The fast movement along Dani's eyes ceases and her eyes flew shut.

Santana's hands were around one of Dani's and she watched the robot boy do his work.

The dreaded robot plugged the wire back into its socket and Dani's brown eyes opened. Santana let go of the girl's hands and grabbed onto either of her arms. Dani's head was now in Santana's lap and the darker girl's hands were running through blue hair. Dani's eyes were scanning the area but her body was still stiff Santana's hands.

"Are you alright? What happened?" Santana asked through her shaky voice.

The woman from the flower stand walked up behind the robot, "She's a defective one. They don't last very long, didn't anybody tell you?"

Santana kept her eyes on Dani. "I, I don't think so.. Is she okay now?"

"For now." They boy robot that had helped her spoke up, "You should learn the small fixes for later." The boy stood up, "We had a defective one too. She didn't last over a couple months."

Dani blinked her eyes a few times and then picked herself up from her hands to stand up. Santana immediately stood up with her and grabbed her arm to be sure she wouldn't collapse again.

The robot boy that had helped her and Dani looked at eachother for a few seconds before nodding. Then Dani grabbed Santana's wrist and pushed past the small crowd that still remained.

"Dani? Dani, slow down, you'll hurt yourself again." Santana urged as Dani's pace picked up.

"I'll be careful, Santana. Okay?" Dani's tone was harsh, not too harsh, but the harshest Santana had ever heard it. So she left it alone.

"So how do you feel?" Santana asked when they got home.

"Santana, I'm fine. Really. I just.. dazed out for a moment."

"Dani, you're a uh,.."

Dani sighed, "I know, I know; I'm a robot. But I think if I were human, that's what dozing off would be like."

Santana took her shoes off and threw her jacket on the couch. She made her way to her room and turned her bed side lamp on, Dani followed quietly behind.

"That would be more like fainting." Santana commented before pulling her shirt over her head and moving to her jeans.

Dani shrugged and took a seat on the black comforter covering Santana's bed.

Santana watched the girl as she put sweats and a raggy t-shirt on. But Dani just sat there with her back turned to the other girl.

Santana pulled the comforter back and Dani stood up, "You're going to bed then?"

Santana sat down and snuggled into the comforters, "Yeah, probably."

Dani nodded and turned around and began moving her feet towards the door before she heard Santana's voice speak up again.

"Dani?"

Dani turned back to Santana, "Yes, Santana?"

Santana bit her lip, then softly spoke, "Can you.. can you maybe sleep in here with me? Just for tonight?"

Dani smiled. She removed her jean jacket vest and shoes while Santana pulled the rest of the comforter back and waited for the smaller girl to climb in.

Once both were covered in the bed, Santana flicked her lamp off.

Both girls could hear their breaths fill the room and the uneasy feeling became heavier.

"Santana?" Dani breathed out softly.

"Mhm?"

"T-Turn around, so your backs facing me."

Santana turned her head to the girl and made her out in the darkness, "Why?"

"Just do it, please."

Santana sighed, but did as Dani asked and laid on her side with her cheek on the pillow. A few seconds later, she felt an arm drape over her side and Dani's front was on her back.

Her breathing hitched and Dani felt it, "Should I pull back?" The girl asked, pulling her arm away.

Santana grabbed it before it was off of her and pulled it back around her waist, "No, leave it there."

Dani nodded, and let her body rest on Santana's.

It was quiet for a moment, before Santana softly chuckled. "You know, I should really be putting my arm around you. Do you know what spooning is?"

"Yes. That's what we're doing, right? I saw it in a movie."

Santana chuckled again, "You see everything in movies."

Dani hummed, the sound traveling into Santana's ears and giving her goosebumps. "Yes, I do. You know what else I saw in that movie?"

Santana tightened the arm around her. "What?"

"It's okay for the big spoon to act like the little spoon sometimes too. Especially when that's how they feel."

Santana swallowed hard. She'd had Dani for a while already and the robot still managed to put a lump in her throat.

After Santana didn't respond and about 10 minutes passed, Dani assumed she was asleep and placed a cheek on the girl's neck and stroked her arm.

This was when Santana finally let her eyes close shut and her racing mind cease.


End file.
